Community Table Talks
By May 2022, the community committee had endorsed a Community Table Talks method for engaging with the community to understand its priorities for disaster preparedness.
Through a series of online groundwork workshops, the community engagement working group had worked with Art of Hosting practitioner David Newell to design an effective and appropriate community engagement approach. This groundwork stage allowed the working group to reach consensus on the purpose of community engagement and to agree on the style and format. |
Resources to download
|
The Table Talks approach emerged as the most meaningful way to engage the community.
Art of Hosting practices
It was based on Art of Hosting participatory leadership practices which emphasise the importance of face to face connection in small groups, using techniques that ensure all participants have a safe space to share their experience and ideas.
The Community Table Talks were small group structured conversations focused on responses to ‘powerful questions’.
These questions invited participants to reflect on their experiences and to imagine the elements of a better prepared future.
The Table Talks were designed with a consistent, predetermined ‘flow’ to ensure all participants across all sessions had a similar experience.
This also allowed the project team to gather (or ‘harvest’) the thoughts expressed by participants and accurately organise them by theme.
Art of Hosting practices
It was based on Art of Hosting participatory leadership practices which emphasise the importance of face to face connection in small groups, using techniques that ensure all participants have a safe space to share their experience and ideas.
The Community Table Talks were small group structured conversations focused on responses to ‘powerful questions’.
These questions invited participants to reflect on their experiences and to imagine the elements of a better prepared future.
The Table Talks were designed with a consistent, predetermined ‘flow’ to ensure all participants across all sessions had a similar experience.
This also allowed the project team to gather (or ‘harvest’) the thoughts expressed by participants and accurately organise them by theme.
Table Talk Host Training
Table Talk hosting capacity was built in the community through two Table Talk host training sessions - the first one in June 2022.
The community was invited to participate in training to learn the techniques they would be able to apply to their own Table Talks. Nine people were trained and a small number of these trainees went on to host Table Talks, supported by members of the project team.
Table Talk hosting capacity was built in the community through two Table Talk host training sessions - the first one in June 2022.
The community was invited to participate in training to learn the techniques they would be able to apply to their own Table Talks. Nine people were trained and a small number of these trainees went on to host Table Talks, supported by members of the project team.
Three powerful questions
The three powerful questions responded to at each of the Community Table Talks were:
The three powerful questions responded to at each of the Community Table Talks were:
- What has helped you manage through a disaster?
- What would make you better prepared for future disasters?
- What could we do together as a community to be better prepared for future disasters?
Throughout 17 Community Table Talks with a total of 159 community members, three consistent community priorities emerged as key themes:
Education, Information & Training
Communication
- Education about the role of emergency services and all levels of government before, during and after a disaster
- Regular preparedness training and information sessions conducted by local emergency service organisations
- Education about personal and community preparedness as recommended by emergency services organisations
- All-hazards education and information Empowering community to manage and minimise individual and community-wide hazards as recommended by emergency service organisations.
Communication
- Improved communication between community members before, during and after a disaster.
- Improved communication between communities and emergency services before, during and after a disaster
- Improved communications between relevant government agencies and departments and community before, during and after a disaster
- Improved telecommunications connectivity before, during and after a disaster.
- Increased opportunities for social connection
- Improved connection between community and emergency services
- Connection as a means to support and to safeguard individuals.
Addressing concerns raised by vulnerable communities
As the Community Table Talks progressed, participating members of the Eden Cove and Wyndham communities raised specific preparedness concerns. This led to the creation of information and collaboration events tailored to the unique needs of these locations.
Taking the priorities to the broader community
Based on the findings from the Table Talks series, the community committee endorsed a recommendation to take the priorities back to the broader community and to give more people the opportunity to contribute to the information gathered.
Two Resilient Eden Community Workshops were held in the Eden Library Event Space in November 2022.
Based on the findings from the Table Talks series, the community committee endorsed a recommendation to take the priorities back to the broader community and to give more people the opportunity to contribute to the information gathered.
Two Resilient Eden Community Workshops were held in the Eden Library Event Space in November 2022.